Case Study: T-2500 Cooling Tower for Wastewater Treatment in Griffin, GA

A municipal wastewater treatment facility in Griffin, Georgia needed dependable heat rejection for the compressors that keep its treatment process running. In 2022, the facility installed a CTS Model T-2500 fiberglass (FRP) cooling tower.

The challenge

Wastewater treatment runs around the clock. Aeration, the stage where air is blown into the water so bacteria can break down waste, depends on large compressors and blowers. Those machines generate a steady stream of heat. If that heat is not removed, compressors run hot, lose efficiency, and can trip offline. At a treatment plant, a stalled compressor is a process problem, not just an equipment problem.

The facility needed a cooling tower that could carry a large, continuous load through Georgia's hot, humid summers. It also had to stand up to a demanding environment. Treatment plants are full of moisture, chemicals, and corrosive gases, and those conditions are hard on galvanized steel casings and basins.

Why the facility chose Cooling Tower Systems

The decision came down to trust. The customer has a long-standing business relationship with CTS and has found the company reliable over many years. When a new tower was needed, they came back to a supplier they already knew would deliver.

That relationship is backed by the product itself:

• Corrosion-resistant construction. The T-2500 casing and cold-water basin are fiberglass-reinforced polyester with a UV-protective gel coat. FRP does not rust, which matters in a plant environment.
• Long warranty. CTS warrants the FRP casing and cold-water basin for 20 years on U.S. orders.
• Made in Georgia. CTS builds its towers in Macon, about an hour from Griffin, which keeps freight short and support close.

The solution

CTS supplied a Model T-2500, a 500-ton counterflow tower from the T-2 line. Its round footprint performs the same regardless of wind direction, and its counterflow design fits a large amount of cooling into a compact space. Larger T-2 models like the T-2500 ship in factory-built sections and are assembled on site. CTS publishes the assembly instructions and rigging and lifting guide so contractors can plan the install in advance.

The customer shared photos taken during assembly, showing the tower being built up section by section on site.

The result

Since 2022, the T-2500 has been rejecting the heat built up by the facility's compressors, helping the plant keep its treatment process running. The facility gained a large-capacity tower built from materials suited to a corrosive environment, from a Georgia manufacturer it already trusted.

Another CTS customer: Greenfield Energy's Model T-28

Smaller jobs get the same FRP construction. Greenfield Energy bought a CTS Model T-28 in 2024 and shared this video of the tower at their facility. The T-28 is rated at 120,000 BTU/hr (about 8 nominal tons) at 23 GPM with a 1/6 HP fan. It weighs about 101 lbs dry, and like every model from the T-23 through the T-280, it ships completely assembled.

Need a tower for a treatment plant or industrial process?

CTS towers serve municipal water and wastewater plants, manufacturing, and process cooling across the U.S. See how FRP compares in our FRP vs galvanized steel guide and our 20-year total cost of ownership breakdown. More projects: T-2175-LN aquarium cooling and T-2400 tennis court comfort cooling.